


Holding It Together

by Wolfcry22



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Awesome Dean Winchester, Brotherly Affection, Fever, Fluff, Gen, Protective Dean Winchester, Sick Character, Sick Sam Winchester, Sickfic, Sneezing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:07:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26359216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfcry22/pseuds/Wolfcry22
Summary: After John’s death, Dean has been hunting nonstop and Sam is struggling to keep up. When it finally catches up with Sam, he doesn’t want to tell his brother. Cue Sam trying to keep quiet so that his brother doesn’t find out that he’s sick, which is easier said than done.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 59





	Holding It Together

**Author's Note:**

> This is another story that I’ve been working on in the timeframe of when John dies and Dean is working them too hard with hunts.

Sam moaned a bit as he turned in his bed. His entire body prickled in unease and he had no idea what to do about it. He thought about taking a shower, but if he was trying not to wake up Dean, then that certainly wouldn't be the way to do it. He could take something too, but couldn't see in the pitch black darkness and he had no idea where the first aid kit was. 

Nope, he was screwed.

Sam knew that he was coming down with something a few days ago. It had started with just a sore throat, a deep tickle that trailed along the innermost working of his esophagus and made talking difficult and swallowing impossible. It had then progressed into full body aches, a headache, and a relentless runny nose. He hadn't had much sneezing yet, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before that symptom of his cold took hold.

However, he was losing that battle with himself. Not only was he extremely achy and uncomfortable from the fever, but now his nose was starting to tickle and itch fiercely. He had been stifling the sneezes all day so that Dean couldn't catch wind about what was going on with him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something that he could do all day nor day after day. It was starting to really bother him and he just wanted to let those sneezes out. Now he couldn't for yet another reason.

Dean had been running on fumes since their father died a few months ago. They were going from case to case to case almost nonstop. Sam was just glad that he had convinced Dean to actually sleep in a motel and not the Impala. He liked the Impala just fine, but it wasn't very comfortable for him to sleep in. He couldn't spread out like Dean could thanks to his towering height. He also wasn't into the whole monster hunting thing all the time nonstop like Dean was either. Sam just couldn't tell him that.

So, the case they were working on now was fairly difficult that began with tracking a werewolf through the woods and ended with Sam falling into a river and that was when Sam started to feel unwell. Dean had been sympathetic for a little bit, but they had needed to move on very quickly. They had went to another case with a vengeful spirit at an old cabin that was freezing and that was when Sam started to feel symptoms occurring. When they finally wrapped it up, Dean had driven for nearly twelve hours straight to their next case. They ended up in a motel in Arkansas and that's where they were now.

Sam rolled over as he felt his nose continuing to prickle, starting in his pallet and traveling deep within his sinuses. Sam lifted a hand and rubbed at his nose fiercely, fingernails digging into the round curves of his nostrils to abate the feeling. He rubbed it back and forth, but it did absolutely nothing for the tickle. If anything, it made it worse. He knew that he was going to sneeze and he really didn't want to wake Dean up in the process. That was mainly for two reasons. The first was he didn't want Dean to know that he was sick because then he would feel like he had to take care of him and Dean was going through enough. The second reason was that Dean had worked himself into the ground and waking him up without reason wasn’t going to help either one of them.

"Dean," Sam whispered, testing the waters. 

The only response he got was his brother's loud snoring. Sam gritted his teeth in agitation. He couldn't stay quiet forever and he was very quickly loosing his battle with the impending sneeze. He really didn't want to wake up his brother, but that was what it was coming to.

He looked around for what he could use to potentially muffle the sound. The pillow or sheets were obvious choices, but he really didn't want to snot all over anything that he was going to sleep with. He would have to find something else that was a little more durable and something that he could wash as well. He wasn't sure how long they were staying here and he preferred to have somewhere cleanish to sleep on.

"Eh."

Sam's battle was lost and he knew it. So, he turned and rummaged through his duffle that was open beside his bed on the floor. He found a flannel shirt and pressed it against his twitching nostrils that were already glistening in moisture. His hitching breaths took over and gave way to harsh pants of desperation. His eyes jammed shut almost automatically after that as he felt his chest expand.

"Huh'RShsSh! Huh'RScshhh!"

The sneezes were a little louder than he anticipated. He wiped at his nostrils since he couldn't risk blowing his nose. His sneezes were loud enough, let alone risking a chance with the blowing of his nose that was sure to wake up his brother.

Suddenly, the light turned on and Sam realized that his face was right in the way of the bright rays. He squinted as he looked over to his brother, who had just began to stir.

Dean rubbed a hand against the side of his face before he looked over at his brother. "Dude, what are you doing," he asked in surprise before he ran his fingers through his hair. "Were you sneezing or something?"

"Ub baybe," answered Sam. He swore under his breath. His voice was even more congested than he had originally thought and there was no way that Dean wouldn't pick up on that.

Instantly Dean narrowed his eyes as he looked his brother up and down. "And is that my shirt?!"

Sam looked down and in the light, turning the flannel over. A sickening feeling rose inside of him when realized this could be Dean's. He didn't have one this color of shirt and Dean did. He felt heat rise to his cheeks as he looked back at his brother. "Ub, Deadn, I didn't—“

Dean stifled a groan as he threw the covers from his body. He walked over to the wall and turned on the light overhead. Sam narrowed his eyes against the sudden brightness, Dean's flannel shirt still jammed against his slightly twitching nostrils. Dean walked past Sam and headed into the bathroom without another word. He emerged a minute later with a box of paper thin tissues tucked against his side. He sat on the edge of Sam's bed and extended them out to him. 

"Here. Those'll probably work better than my shirt," Dean pointed out gently. He extended a hand to take the shirt away, but Sam immediately pulled back. Dean looked down at his hand, but he couldn't see any reason Sam would be so hesitant. "What?"

"Id's jusd thadt your shird is thicker than tissues," pointed out Sam in a small voice, embarrassment creeping into his voice.

Dean rolled his eyes as he clapped Sam on the shoulder. Sam whimpered from the effects of the fever and Dean immediately recoiled. "Sorry, sorry. I forgot about that." He sighed loudly. "My shirt really feels better?”

Sam nodded before the overwhelming urge to sneeze presented itself again. Sam moaned as he turned away from Dean. It was bad enough sneezing in front of him, but it was almost as if Dean was picking him apart with his gaze fixed on him like that. Sam wanted to tell Dean to back off, but he was struggling to get anything out at this point.

"Sammy, what," Dean asked when he noticed that his brother was trying to get something out, but was currently not able to.

Sam didn't have time to explain what was wrong, but his sneezes sealed the deal for him. "Huh'RScsShhh! Huh'RSSHshsh! Huh'RshShsh!"

"Jeez, Sam," exclaimed Dean as he rummaged around his duffle until he found another one of his soft, flannel shirts that he thought that Sam could use.

Dean hit Sam's arm and Sam turned his head. He looked at the shirt before he shook his head, his nose still buried in the shirt that he had.

"Don't be difficult! Just take it. Trust me, this one is softer than that one," he pointed out as he pointed at the one that was so close to Sam's nose.

Sam stifled a moan as he switched shirts. He threw the used one on the ground and tried to promise Dean that he would wash it before he blew his nose in the other one. Dean tried not to grimace as he patted Sam's back comfortingly. Once Sam was finished he delved into a few phlegmy coughs that left a bad taste in the mouth. He swallowed before it could be alarming, but he didn't like it whatever was bubbling up from his chest. It wasn't a lot, but it was uncomfortable.

"Sam, can I ask you something and you actually answer me," Dean requested.

Sam wiped at his nose one more time before he nodded at Dean. "Sure, go ahead," he answered as he coughed, once more, into a closed fist.

"You've been sick for a while now? How long?"

Sam gritted his teeth together. He didn't want to tell Dean since if he did then Dean would automatically feel bad about it. However, he knew that lying to Dean wasn't a good plan either. So, he decided to tell him half of the truth and go from there.

"Just since the spirit in the cabin. It wasn't that long ago," he pointed out with a forced smile.

"Uh huh," answered Dean as he watched Sam start to shiver, despite the fact that he had on sweatpants and sweatpants and they were in Arkansas. "Are you cold, Sammy?"

"It's nothing," answered Sam as Dean tried to touch his shoulder. Sam shied away once more, shrugging quickly. "Sorry, body aches. I'm just a little sore."

"A little sore my ass. I know how hard fevers hit you!" Dean stood up and made his way to his bed and pulled the sheets and comforter from his bed and dragged it over to Sam's. He threw them over Sam and Sam just laid there in surprise. It took his feverish brain a few seconds to figure it out. 

"Wha—“

"This'll make you warmer, Sam," explained Dean as if it wasn't already obvious.

Sam shook his head. "What about you? S'cold."

"It's Arkansas," pointed out Dean as he pretended to fan himself. "It's hot here in case you didn't notice. Then again, you probably didn't notice because of how feverish you are."

"I prefer the term hot," answered Sam with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

Dean chuckled as he sat in his bed and looked over at him. "Can I just ask you one thing, though, Sam?"

"You already did," pointed out Sam as he lifted the flannel shirt and rubbed at his nose before the sneezes tore out of his body at an alarming rate.

"Huh'RShshh! Huh'RsSHShh! Huh'RShShsh!"

"Bless ya," Dean offered as Sam blew his nose in the flannel. He rubbed at his nose and coughed again in the aftermath. "So, can I ask you another question?"

"You just did, but yeah," Sam answered exhaustedly. 

"Anyway, why didn't you tell me that you were sick? I mean I could've—“

"Could've what," snapped Sam. The fierce growl turned into a startling coughing fit. This time it took almost a minute to tamper off. But, when he was finished, Dean was standing over him with a bottle of water dangling in front of his eyes.

Sam took it and swallowed a few gulps painfully as it slid down his burning throat. He made a face before he set the water bottle aside and leaned against the headrest, eyes filtering closed. He sighed, rolling his head to look over to his brother. He knew that he had hurt his feelings—he could see that—but he knew that he couldn't just drop it either.

"Look, man, you've been lost since dad died. You've been running yourself and me into the ground. I just didn't want to get in the way of your coping mechanism. I just wanted to help you," Sam tried to explain as another shiver racked his body.

Dean knew that this was his fault, but he didn't want Sam to lay into him either. They had been through too much to turn on each other now. “Sammy, you need to tell me about these things, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you and I could have helped you."

"I know, Dean, I'm sorry," croaked Sam as he licked his very chapped lips.

"Don't you apologize. I didn't come to hear that," Dean pointed out as he watched Sam's eyes start to fall closed in tiredness. It was clear that he was exhausted and he just wanted to sleep, but Dean wasn't finished yet. "I'm just sorry. I know that things have been rough latterly and I think that we definitely need a change."

"I'm so glad that you said that because I'm not sure how many more of these hunts that I can do in a month's time," Sam joked as he pulled the covers even closer against him as he shivered once more.

"No more until you're 100% well," vowed Dean as he got up and turned off the light in the room so that the lamp was the brightest thing now.

"That might not be for a while," Sam pointed out as he lifted one hand and pressed it against his streaming nose, sniffling back mucus. "This feels like a flu."

"Then we'll stay until you are," Dean vowed as he laid back in his bed and pulled his hands up to his chest. He had no covers, but he was sweating anyway. It was just too hot for any layers, yet Sam was shivering like they were in Alaska.

"Do you mind if I leave on the lamp," requested Dean hopefully.

Sam opened an eye. "What are you going to do? Read a magazine or something?"

"Um, yeah, something like that," answered Dean as he continued to look at his brother.

Sam sighed heavily and closed his eyes, still facing his brother. "Alright. Goodnight," he mumbled as he started to doze off. It wasn't long before the snoring took over with the the flannel shirt still shoved against his nose. 

Dean spent half of the night just watching Sam and making sure that he didn't stop breathing in the middle of the night. He knew that he was going to have to watch over his brother a little better now since his father wasn't going to be there anymore. But, for now, all that he could do was look after Sam to the best of his ability, and he knew that he would never let him down again.

**Author's Note:**

> This was just another fluffy sickfic that I hope you all enjoyed. I hope you all are staying safe and healthy!


End file.
